By: Roberta Gayode Modin
Shisha smoking has gained popularity among the youth in Ghana, making its consumption a common sight in spots, clubs, pubs, and homes. This is because it is believed to be less harmful than cigarettes.
However, speaking ahead of World Cancer Day 2023 to be observed on February 4, 2023, Health Influencer, Dr. Blaise Ackom disclosed that Shisha is more dangerous than cigarettes.
“According to the WHO, when you take shisha for 1 hour, you’ve taken 100 sticks of cigarettes. We have a mindset that the water in the basin absorbs the Nicotine, which is not true so you are actually smoking more if you smoke shisha,” he stated on the New Day Show on TV3.
Dr. Ackom appealed to the youth to desist from the practice of shisha smoking in order not to subject themselves to its attendant health ramifications.
A study conducted by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that shisha smoke contains many of the same harmful components found in cigarette smoke, such as nicotine, tar, and heavy metals.
Another publication by the British Heart Foundation indicates that shisha contains nicotine, tar, carbon monoxide, and heavy metal such as arsenic and lead and its smokers risk developing cardiovascular damage, respiratory infections, cancer formation and nicotine addictions, among others.
Shisha, also known as Hookah, Narghile, Waterpipe or Hubble bubble involves smoking of burning flavoured tobacco known as molasses, using coal and was invented in the 16th century by a physician called Hakim Abdul Fath Gilani.